Definitions for harsh
hɑrʃharsh

Princeton's WordNet(4.00 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. harsh, roughadjective

   unpleasantly stern

   "wild and harsh country full of hot sand and cactus"; "the nomad life is rough and hazardous"

2. harshadjective

   disagreeable to the senses

   "the harsh cry of a blue jay"; "harsh cognac"; "the harsh white light makes you screw up your eyes"; "harsh irritating smoke filled the hallway"

3. coarse, harshadjective

   of textures that are rough to the touch or substances consisting of relatively large particles

   "coarse meal"; "coarse sand"; "a coarse weave"

4. harsh, roughadjective

   unkind or cruel or uncivil

   "had harsh words"; "a harsh and unlovable old tyrant"; "a rough answer"

5. harshadjective

   severe

   "a harsh penalty"

6. harsh, abrasiveadjective

   sharply disagreeable; rigorous

   "the harsh facts of court delays"; "an abrasive character"

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. harshverb

   To negatively criticize.

   Quit harshing me already, I said that I was sorry!

2. harshverb

   to put a damper on (a mood).

   Dude, you're harshing my buzz.

3. harshadjective

   Unpleasantly rough to the touch or other senses.

4. harshadjective

   Severe or cruel.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. HARSHadjective

   Etymology: hervische, German, Skinner.

   1. Austere; roughly sour.

   Our nature here is not unlike our wine;
   Some sorts, when old, continue brisk and fine:
   So age’s gravity may seem severe,
   But nothing harsh or bitter ought t’ appear. John Denham.

   Sweet, bitter, sour, harsh and salt, are all the epithets we have to denominate that numberless variety of relishes. John Locke.

   The same defect of heat which gives a fierceness to our natures, may contribute to that roughness of our language, which bears some analogy to the harsh fruit of colder countries. Jonathan Swift, to the Lord High Treasurer.

   2. Rough to the ear.

   A name unmusical to Volscian ears,
   And harsh in sound to thine. William Shakespeare, Coriolanus.

   Age might, what nature never gives the young,
   Have taught the smoothness of thy native tongue;
   But satire needs not that, and wit will shine
   Through the harsh cadence of a rugged line. Dryden.

   The unnecessary consonants made their spelling tedious, and their pronunciation harsh. Dryden.

   Thy lord commands thee now
   With a harsh voice, and supercilious brow,
   To servile duties. John Dryden, Pers. Sat. 5.

   3. Crabbed; morose; peevish.

   He was a wise man and an eloquent; but in his nature harsh and haughty. Francis Bacon, Henry VII.

   Bear patiently the harsh words of thy enemies, as knowing that the anger of an enemy admonishes us of our duty. Taylor.

   No harsh reflection let remembrance raise;
   Forbear to mention what thou can’st not praise. Matthew Prior.

   A certain quickness of apprehension inclined him to kindle into the first motions of anger; but, for a long time before he died, no one heard an intemperate or harsh word proceed from him. Francis Atterbury, Sermons.

   4. Rugged to the touch.

   Black feels as if you were feeling needles points, or some harsh sand; and red feels very smooth. Robert Boyle, on Colours.

   5. Unpleasing; rigorous.

   With eloquence innate his tongue was arm’d;
   Though harsh the precept, yet the preacher charm’d. Dryd.

Webster Dictionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Harshadjective

   rough; disagreeable; grating

2. Harshadjective

   disagreeable to the touch

3. Harshadjective

   disagreeable to the taste

4. Harshadjective

   disagreeable to the ear

5. Harshadjective

   unpleasant and repulsive to the sensibilities; austere; crabbed; morose; abusive; abusive; severe; rough

6. Harshadjective

   having violent contrasts of color, or of light and shade; lacking in harmony

7. Etymology: [OE. harsk; akin to G. harsch, Dan. harsk rancid, Sw. hrsk; from the same source as E. hard. See Hard, a.]

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Harsh

   härsh, adj. rough: bitter: jarring: abusive: severe: unkind.—v.t. Harsh′en, to render harsh.—adv. Harsh′ly.—n. Harsh′ness. [M. E. harsk, a northern word; cf. Sw. härsk and Dan. harsk, rancid, Ger. harsch, hard.]

British National Corpus

1. Adjectives Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'harsh' in Adjectives Frequency: #687

How to pronounce harsh?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say harsh in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of harsh in Chaldean Numerology is: 7

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of harsh in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9

Examples of harsh in a Sentence

1. Rodrigo Janot:

   It would be a harsh blow. We would return to a system that allows impunity and endless delays.

2. Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny:

   If they were to collapse, it could be a very long time before you get back to a situation where you have what you might call normal running of an executive or Assembly, this can be avoided but I think it needs a realistic appraisal by people who have had very harsh things to say about each other and where there are clear, strong differences of opinion but you have to look at the bigger picture.

3. Ric Spooner:

   The harsh reality of last night's build in inventory is starting to set in on oil prices.

4. Jonathan Taylor:

   In Russia they have reacted saying it is outrageous and a harsh ban. I do think it is a ban that strikes a blow to the pride of the nation, no Russian flag, no Russian colors, no Russian president to accept the plaudits. Russia will not be there (in Tokyo or the 2022 soccer World Cup), President Putin will not be there. If Russia win the World Cup he will not be there to celebrate.

5. Jake Morris:

   To me, that was so stark. It was almost funny, but so harsh.

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